ONE Championship: Superlek to defend flyweight kickboxing title, Takeru debut set to be confirmed
- ‘The Kicking Machine’ will next face Elias Mahmoudi in main event of ONE Fight Night 18 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok
- Asian martial arts promotion will reveal details of Tokyo return at a press conference later this month, CEO Chatri says
Superlek Kiatmookao will defend his ONE Championship flyweight kickboxing title against Elias Mahmoudi in January 13’s main event at Lumpinee Stadium.
A ticket website leak for the ONE Fight Night 18 event in Bangkok hinted at Superlek’s next opponent earlier on Tuesday, before the Asian martial arts promotion confirmed the bout later.
The potential match-up was revealed in a post on the Thaiticketmajor website, which is Asia-based martial arts promotion ONE’s official ticketing partner in Thailand. The post was deleted but then spread on social media.
Tw other fights were confirmed for ONE Fight Night 18 last week.
Former bantamweight Muay Thai title challenger Liam Harrison will face former MMA champion John Lineker in a Muay Thai bout.
South Korean MMA bantamweight Kwon Won-il will also return against Mongolia’s Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg.
French-Iranian fighter Mahmoudi last competed in a flyweight Muay Thai bout against former title challenger Edgar Tabares. He secured a first-round TKO but missed weight for the bout.
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“The Kicking Machine” Superlek also missed weight for his recent decision win over Rodtang, which prevented him from being able to win his compatriot’s Muay Thai belt.
Superlek certainly has plenty of options, and had told the Post this month he was open to facing “anyone” next – including a trio of possible blockbuster fights.
Rematches with Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Jonathan Haggerty had been on the table, as was a clash with Japanese kickboxing icon Takeru Segawa, who is set to make his ONE debut in Tokyo early next year.
ONE is set to confirm the exact date of its return to Japan at a press conference in Tokyo later this month, CEO and chairman Chatri Sityodtong told the Post.
He had suggested at a recent speaking event in Bangkok that ONE had signed a multi-year deal with Japanese e-commerce leader Rakuten to bring events back to the country.
“I am thrilled that ONE Championship is partnering with Rakuten, a brand with a long-standing reputation in the market. and have the same passion for innovation to bring the ONE competition back to Japan next year,” Chatri said, according to a press release.
“ONE is beloved by fans around the world, especially in Japan. A land where martial arts have been steeped in cultural history for a long time. We have held many big tournaments in Tokyo. And with this collaboration with Rakuten, we can’t wait to kick off a new era with our return.”
